Prospective study on incidence and pattern of congenital abnormalities in a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka

Background: Congenital abnormalities are defined as structural / functional abnormalities, and/or biochemical-molecular defects present at birth. Common grave anomalies are cardiac defects, neural tube defects and Down syndrome. 

Objectives: To assess incidence and type of congenital abnormalities in births at Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital (SJGH). 

Method: A prospective study was done at SJGH from March 2015 to end of November 2017 including all the births during that time period. The information was recorded in a pretested data collection sheet. Data was analysed using SPSS statistical software.

Results: Of 10,157 babies born during the study period (both live births and still births) the incidence of congenital abnormalities was 2.6%. Isolated congenital abnormalities were found in 137 (1.3%) babies and multiple congenital abnormalities were found in 96 (0.9%). Fifty one babies belonged to syndromes with an incidence of 0.5%. Mild, severe and lethal congenital anomalies had incidences of 1.4%, 1.2% and 0.1% respectively. The commonest anomalies were congenital heart diseases followed by muscular-skeletal system anomalies. Presence of birth defects was significantly associated with male gender, prematurity and low birth weight.

Conclusions: Incidence of birth defects was 2.6%. The 2 most common anomalies were congenital heart disease and muscular-skeletal system anomalies.

Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2019; 48(4): 321-325